BRUSSELS (AP)—Justine Henin is seeking the elusive Wimbledon title in her return to the WTA Tour.

It’s the only Grand Slam the former top-ranked player hasn’t won. And it loomed large in her decision to end a one-year retirement from the sport.

“It is a dream of mine,” Henin said Tuesday. “I want to work to get it. I make it a priority.”

Barely a week after compatriot Kim Clijsters capped her comeback from retirement with a second U.S. Open title, Henin announced her return live on Belgian TV.

Henin was one game away from victory in the Wimbledon semifinals in 2007 before losing to Marion Bartoli. Henin’s coach Carlos Rodriguez, who also will make a comeback, believes she can take the grass-court title.

“I can see her winning it,” Rodriguez told RTL-TVI network. “This fourth title, it is one of the reasons for coming back.”

Henin’s announcement capped an about-face from her “definitive decision” to retire last year, followed in recent weeks by “no comment,” until a smiling admission Tuesday that she truly missed the game too much.

“A flame I thought was extinguished forever suddenly lit up again,” Henin said on TV.

Her plans include exhibition tournaments in Charleroi, Belgium, and Dubai, to hone her skills ahead of a competitive return at the Australian Open.

“Justine is one of the great champions in the history of women’s tennis, and we, along with millions of her fans around the globe, are thrilled,” WTA Tour chairman Stacey Allaster said in a statement. “Justine is that rare athlete who decided to step away from the game at the height of her powers, and no doubt she will be a force to be reckoned with from the get go.”

As Clijsters has proved, breaking into the top tier is realistic. Clijsters won the U.S. Open in her third tournament since returning from a 2 1/2 -year retirement to get married and have a baby.

“Subconsciously, it might have had an impact,” Henin said of Clijsters’ success. “But it certainly was not the most important reason.”

Henin retired in May 2008, initially rejecting any thought of a comeback with a determination that marked her play in a decade-long career that produced seven Grand Slam titles. She said she was tired of nagging injuries and living in a bubble while chasing titles.

During her retirement, Henin became a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and focused on vaccinations for children in the Congo, Cambodia and Denmark.

But she said she couldn’t fight a competitive spirit that still burns.

“Adrenaline is part of my life, my existence. It is in my character,” she said.

Like Clijsters, the 27-year-old Henin is still in her prime and has been able to rest her body. She stepped away from the game after a string of early tournament exits just ahead of the French Open, a tournament she’s won four times.

Henin was the first female player to retire at No. 1, having earned nearly $20 million in prize money and holding the top ranking for all but seven weeks since Nov. 13, 2006 until her retirement.

“The last 15 months, I’ve been able to recharge the batteries, emotionally as well,” Henin said.

On Tuesday, Henin was back hitting balls, using the constant repetition of strokes to regain perfection under pressure.

“The toughest moment is right now. It is to create the foundation,” she said.

Henin said she wants to play at least until the 2012 London Olympics, when she will be 30. She won gold in singles at the 2004 Athens Games.

Things are heating up in Women tennis again! Competition is going to be strong again!

Former world number one Justine Henin has confirmed she will return to competitive tennis in 2010.

The 27-year-old retired in May 2008 but on Tuesday announced her comeback just over a week after fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters capped her retirement U-turn with a second US Open title.

"I'm really happy and deeply moved to be able to announce that I'm coming back to competitive tennis," Henin told RTL-TVI. "These past 15 months have been enriching... but there is a flame that has been re-lit. I thought it had been put out forever."

Henin won seven grand slam titles and had previously insisted her decision to retire was final.

"A new future is ahead and I won't go back on this decision," she said last year.

However, she announced on live television on Tuesday evening that she plans to play two exhibition tournaments this year to prepare for a competitive return in 2010.

Coach Carlos Rodriguez is delighted at Henin's decision and revealed one of the principle reasons for the player coming out of retirement was her desire to win Wimbledon - a tournament at which she has reached the final twice.

"I swear I was extremely surprised," he said. "I'm happy because at the end of the day it's what she loves. She has entrusted me (to be her coach) once again and I will try to never let her down.

"I'm very happy to be helping her to restart her new life. It's a super challenge for her. The desire to win Wimbledon is one of the main reasons she's come back and I'll do everything to help her do it."

Henin has pencilled in her comeback for the Australian Open in January.

Henin retired in May 2008, and since then comtinually denied she was thinking of picking up a racquet again.

But since Kim Clijsters' return to the WTA Tour, and her victory at the US Open this month, speculation about Henin has intensified.

And in a television interview, she finally admitted she was making a come back.

"I was very impatient and I am really happy and profoundly moved to be able to announce this evening that I will return to competition very quickly," she said.

"I know it is surprising since, on May 14th 2008, I had put a definite end to my tennis career."

"But then there was a long personal journey, I think, in these last 15 months, which were enriching," she added.

Henin said: "I found out many more things about myself and all of this allowed me to concentrate and then there was a flame which lit up again, which I thought had been blown out forever, and little by little this desire to come back, to live things differently, with wisdom, more maturity and through sharing as well."

"Somewhere out there I was missing people and I want to relive this adventure with them"

BRUSSELS (AP)—Despite seven Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal and more than two years as the world No. 1, Justine Henin wasn’t satisfied enough after calling it quits on a stellar tennis career.

Her retirement lasted 16 months.

On Tuesday, Henin said her desire to play and win again at the highest level was back, and she will return to the tour next year and compete in the Australian Open in January.

She wants to play at least until the 2012 London Olympics when she will be 30. By then, she hopes to have won Wimbledon—the only Grand Slam title missing on her resume that contains four French Open titles, two U.S. Opens and one Australian Open championship.

“I want to keep going at least until then,” she said of the London Games.

She already won singles gold at the Athens Games in 2004.

Never having won Wimbledon really stung when her memories drifted back on her achievements.

So when the adrenaline rush came a few months back, just about a year after she stunned the world with her “definitive decision” to retire, she asked fellow retiree Carlos Rodriguez, her coach, to give some thought to a comeback.

“I hope this is the beginning of a new adventure, again,” she said.

Without any regrets she’s leaving recreational skiing, some theater and television work behind.

“Adrenaline is part of my life, my existence. It is in my character,” she said.

The world better take notice after another comeback from retirement yielded fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters a U.S. open title within three tournaments.

Henin has even more motivation. Her timorous frame of 5 feet, 5 3/4 inches and 126 pounds is again lifting weights in the hope she’ll be able to compete with the game’s hulking power hitters.

She wants to play two exhibition tournaments, in Charleroi, Belgium, and Dubai, to hone her skills ahead of a competitive return at the Australian Open.

At 27, Henin says she has the fire and physical strength to compete for an eighth Grand Slam title.

She officially retired on May 14, 2008, initially rejecting any thought of a comeback with a dogged determination that had come to mark her play throughout a decade-long career.

It certainly is not too late for a comeback. As Clijsters has proved.

“Subconsciously, it might have had an impact,” Henin said of Clijsters’ successful comeback. “But it certainly was not the most important reason.”

Clijsters’ stunning return also proves the top of women’s tennis is not flush with extraordinary talent, increasing Henin’s chances of success. Like Clijsters, Henin has been able to rest her body to recover from nagging injuries and pain for more than a year.

The WTA Tour welcomed Henin with open arms.

“Justine is one of the great champions in the history of women’s tennis, and we, along with millions of her fans around the globe, are thrilled,” WTA Tour Chairman Stacey Allaster said. “Justine is that rare athlete who decided to step away from the game at the height of her powers, and no doubt she will be a force to be reckoned with from the get go.”Updated 5 hours, 19

You mean in sportmanship, verbal abuse? Cannot be in performance since both are #1 player in the world at sometime in their careers. Justine was still number one when she retired. 121 weeks to be exact! I think you mean they did things that were over the top when they were competing - which is understandable since both are very competitive in their nature to win! In that respect you have to respect that in them - they keep on fighting! A true champion!